


Common Law

by DementedPixie



Series: Demented Pixie's Pros Fic [10]
Category: The Professionals (TV 1977)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:40:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22639396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DementedPixie/pseuds/DementedPixie
Summary: Dedicated to one particular ICU nurse, Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, May 1992.PLEASE DO NOT RE-POST THIS STORY ON ANY OTHER PLATFORM.
Relationships: William Bodie/Ray Doyle
Series: Demented Pixie's Pros Fic [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1264832
Kudos: 10





	Common Law

**Author's Note:**

> My name is Demented Pixie and I’m a Pros fan, but that hasn’t always been my name. If you knew me as In Love With Both and you’re a friend, then you’ll already know why I left the fandom some years back. But, hey, a girl can change her mind, and I have therefore decided to re-share my Professionals fanfiction on this amazing Archive – no changes, no improvements, no alterations. I’ll be posting them just as they were written. No comments, no trolls, and no betas. Just me and my stories. I’m sharing them so that they can take their place in the archive, but I’m also sharing them for the Pros generation, for those future generations yet to discover Bodie and Doyle, and for Sandra, who has never ceased waving pompoms for all Pros fanfiction writers.  
> The following story was written by me in 2010.

Common Law

By ILWB

_I wish someone would explain to me why everything is in black and white. To me, black and white means symmetry. Yin and Yang. Winter and Summer. Good and Bad. You can’t have one without the other, a bit like me and Bodie, I suppose. In black and white, I could see the tunnel as we rode under the bridge. There was a loud reverberating noise as I revved the engine, the roar echoing off the curved walls. The engine.....yeah that was it. I was riding a motorbike. My Suzuki? Now I remember. We had gone out for a ride to clear the cobwebs after a heavy day that had merged into an even heavier evening. My front was cold as I drove into the night, but my back was warm, mainly because Bodie was pressed against it, one hand loose around my waist, the other casually resting on his own thigh. I was in control, I know I was - at least, I’m pretty sure I was. The bike felt good. And....I don’t remember anything after that. Why can’t I remember? And why is everything in black and white?_

********

“What do you mean I can’t go in?”

The nurse was busy, rushing back to her position in the Intensive Care Unit, and she simply didn’t have time for this. 

“I’ve told you before, sir, it’s next of kin only.”

“But I’m his bloody partner!”

She paused for a moment, taking in the man who was standing before her. He was dark and brooding, intimidating despite his dishevelled state. But she wasn’t one to be easily intimidated.

“Does that make you his official next of kin?” she asked, looking over her glasses at him. 

The other taller man arrived then, carrying two plastic cups of machine made tea. He looked concerned as he handed the man one of the cups. 

“Is there a problem?” he asked, “Bodie?”

Bodie sat down abruptly on one of the plastic chairs lined up in the corridor. “Yes, there’s a bloody problem, they still won’t let me in!” he said, putting the plastic cup on the floor and dropping his head into his hands. 

Murphy turned back to the nurse and gave her a little smile. “It’s okay, Miss, thanks, I’ll handle him.”

“Okay, thank you,” she said, pressing the metal keypad with the digits that would allow her access to the secure area inside. Just as she turned the lock and went through the door she turned back with an afterthought. “If I can, I’ll come out and let you know what’s happening,” she said, then she was gone. 

Murphy sat down next to Bodie and put his arm across his shoulders, leaning down to talk to him. 

“Mate, this isn’t helping,” he said, in as soothing a voice as he could muster.

“But I need to see him,” said Bodie, looking up at him, his face dark, gone beyond worrying and now bordering on despair. 

“No,” said Murphy, quietly. “What you need to do is drink your tea, and let them do their job. He’s in the right place.”

********

_I knew there was something strange happening, but I still can’t really fully explain it. My body felt rigid and I couldn’t make it move, but somehow it was moving, shaking uncontrollably, and suddenly I went from being totally in control, to being completely out of it. It was hard not to panic, so I felt myself doing just that. There was pain in my shoulder, my foot, my leg, my back, but the pain inside my head was by far the worse. Then there were voices, ‘He’s fitting, hold him’, and ‘Oh my God, Ray’, then there was blackness._

********

“Tell me again what happened,” asked Murphy.

Bodie took a swallow of tea. “It wasn’t Ray’s fault. We’d just joined a queue of traffic going past the hotel, we were overtaking the line of cars and this idiot overtook the car in front without checking behind him first. He side swiped us, sent the bike flying, I went left, Ray went right.” Bodie closed his eyes, the scene playing back in his mind. “Ray landed on the other side of the road, luckily the on-coming car saw what was happening and they stopped just in time. He was lying on the ground just in front of their wheels.”

“So it could have been worse?”

“God yeah, much worse, they could have hit him. I thought he was going to get up, but then he started to convulse. The ambulance arrived by then but they couldn’t stop him. They said it was caused by banging his head on the road.”

“Did you go in the ambulance with him?”

Bodie shook his head, his eyes dark. “The police wanted to know what had happened. They took my details, arranged to recover the bike, then brought me here afterwards. By the time I got here he was in ICU and they wouldn’t let me in.”

Murphy sighed, worry and pity showing on his face. “Oh, Bodie.” 

********  
  
_It’s amazing the things you worry about, anything except worry about yourself, I suppose. Was Bodie okay? What would Cowley say when neither of us turned up for our shift the next day? Had I ruined my favourite jeans? What had happened to my bike? But now things have gone black and white and blurry again and I can stop worrying about it all, for a while at least._

*******

Both men had dropped off, Murphy with his head back against the wall, and Bodie with his head dropped forward. But they both jerked awake as footsteps approached.

“Any news?”

“Hi Jax, no, not yet,” said Murphy, straightening up and smiling at him, glad to see a friendly face. 

Jax dropped a bag on the floor in front of Bodie. “Change of clothes for you, a bite to eat from the Mrs.”

Bodie couldn’t quite bring himself to pull his face into a smile, but he fully meant the ‘Thanks mate’ he managed to reply. 

“Why don’t you let me take your bike stuff away, stop it littering up the place.” 

Bodie nodded and stood up, grabbing the bag in his hand. “I’ll go and get changed. Will you two wait here, in case anything happens?”

“Of course,” said Murphy, “go on.”

They watched him go and Jax sat down, turning to Murphy. “How’s he holding up?” he asked. 

“He’d be better if he knew what was happening,” said Murphy, stretching his back out. 

“Isn’t there anything else I can do to help?” asked Jax. 

“Yeah,” said Murphy, “there is something.” Jax looked up, eager for a job to do. “Find out what happened to the bike? It’s probably been recovered to somewhere local. It’ll be something for you to do, and something for Bodie to talk to Ray about, once he gets in there.” 

Jax nodded willingly. “With pleasure, mate.”

After only a couple of minutes Bodie returned, looking a little fresher in black cords and black polo neck, and he handed his old clothes, crash helmet and boots to Jax. As he did so Murphy noticed his left hand shaking. 

“What’s up, mate?”

Bodie turned back to him. “What?”

“What’s wrong with your hand?”

Bodie looked down at his hand as if he had seen it for the first time in his life. “Must have done something in the crash,” he said. 

Jax took his arm gently and looked at his hand, inspecting it without touching. “Bodie, you silly sod, if you ask me you’ve broken one if not two fingers. You need to get this looked at.”

“I’m not leaving.”

“You don’t have to leave,” said Murphy, with the patience of a saint, “We’re in a hospital. Come on. Ray’s not going anywhere and they won’t let you in anyway. We’ll go over to A and E then come straight back.” There was a pause while Bodie seemed to have difficulty deciding what to do for the best. Murphy put his hand on his shoulder. “You know it makes sense,” he said. 

********

_It’s very quiet. Is it meant to be this quiet? I mean, I can’t hear anything at all. No voices, no machines, no footsteps. If I am where I think I am, then I should be able to hear all sorts of things. Hospitals are never quiet, they expect you to sleep then switch the hoovers on, people talk, push past beds, disturb you without meaning to. But instead, there’s nothing. I hope that’s not a bad thing._

********

In the end it was four hours later before Murphy and Bodie found themselves back on the blue plastic chairs again. Jax had left them to it with a promise to return in the morning with more provisions and news of the Suzuki. 

Murphy checked his watch. 5am. It had been a very long night but there was no way he was going to leave Bodie on his own. 

A young, pretty nurse with blond hair tied in a high pony tail, walked past them, throwing a shy smile in their direction as she tackled the keypad. It didn’t seem to want to let her in. 

“Blooming thing,” she muttered, pressing the ‘C’ button again followed by four digits. Bodie jumped to his feet and quickly stood next to her. “Can I help?” he offered. 

“I’ll be okay. It always does this.” She looked him over. “Are you waiting for someone?”

“My partner was brought in last night. I’m not allowed in,” said Bodie, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. 

“Partner?” she asked, “What kind of partner?”

“Erm, well,” to his surprise Bodie found himself blushing. “We’re partners at work, and personally too.”

“Living with?” she asked, putting a hand lightly on his arm. “Sorry to be nosy, but I need to know.”

“Yes, for the last three years.”

“I see.” Once again she tried the keypad and this time she was successful. “Will you stay here a moment while I get in? I’m starting my shift now and we need to do a handover. Then I’ll come back out, I promise.”

Bodie nodded. “Of course, I’ll be here.”

She smiled and nodded, then disappeared inside. 

Bodie looked at Murphy, hope in his eyes. “What do you suppose that meant?” he said.

“Don’t get your hopes up, right?”

“Right.” 

But of course, Bodie did. 

*******

_Not being in control of your own breathing is a very strange experience indeed. And I’m definitely not in control of my breathing. I can feel that. My chest is moving. Air is pushing into my lungs, but I didn’t do anything to put it there. Shouldn’t I be breathing on my own? Maybe I shouldn’t worry about it. If the machines have got it under control then I need to let them do their job. There will be another time to worry._

********

After what felt like forever but was only actually half an hour, the nurse returned. She sat down on the spare chair next to Bodie. 

“I’m Nicky,” she said. 

“Hi, I’m Bodie, and this is Murphy.”

“And the man in there is?”

“Ray Doyle, our work colleague, and my partner.”

She ran her fingers through her fringe. “Okay, this is the most important part. Ray is your partner, your Common Law partner?” Bodie nodded. “I’m not supposed to do this, but this my shift so I’m in charge, and I’m going to let you in.” As Bodie opened his mouth to speak she raised her hand. “I live with my boyfriend, have done for seven years. I don’t agree with the rules about Common Law husband and wives. I’m as much of a wife as someone with a ring on her finger and a marriage certificate. So I have no objection to you sitting with Ray.” She glanced at his hand, noticing his taped fingers. “You’ve hurt yourself?”

“Yeah, in the same accident where Ray was hurt. Except I only broke a finger.”

“Don’t look so guilty. Things are not as bleak as they seem, I’ll explain when we get inside.” 

They all stood up and Bodie turned to Murphy. “Go home and get some sleep, mate.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah. There’s no point you sitting out here on your own. I’ll ring you once I know anything.”

Murphy extended his hand to shake Bodie’s, but after a brief moment of thought he changed his mind, pulling his startled friend into a rough embrace. “Phone me,” he said, then walked briskly away before either of them could get any more embarrassed. 

********

Nicky led Bodie across the room, past two well equipped beds surrounded by equipment, to another identical one positioned next to a large nurses station. He vaguely acknowledged that the other two beds were occupied but couldn’t tell anything about the patients in them. He was focussed entirely on the bed occupied by Ray Doyle. 

He swallowed hard, steeling himself for the worst. Doyle was unconscious, lying flat on the bed, apparently naked under a thin white sheet. He was connected to several monitors by cables and wires. There was a tube going into his nose and another larger one going into his mouth, presumably handling his breathing. Bodie put his hand on the metal bed frame to steady himself. 

“Here,” said Nicky, pulling up a chair, “sit down.” Bodie did as he was told, not taking his eyes off his partner. “Now listen to me,” she said, demanding his attention. He flickered his eyes towards her, determined not to show his panic. “Things aren’t as bad as they might look. Ray had a seizure at the scene of the accident and the paramedics couldn’t bring him out of it. When he got here we couldn’t get him under control, and it’s dangerous to just let him carry on having non stop seizures. We had to put him into a medically induced coma, to shut his system down in order to give his body a chance to recover.”

Bodie struggled to keep up. “He’s in a coma?” he asked, hesitantly. 

“Only because that’s what we have done to him. When we think he’s ready we’ll bring him around, by which time the fits will have stopped. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Bodie nodded. “Does he have any other injuries?” he asked, his throat suddenly dry.

“He’s black and blue from the fall,” Nicky shook her head in obvious frustration, “you bikers will be the death of me. And he’s fractured his left clavicle – collarbone to you.” 

Bodie coughed slightly. “Erm, when will you bring him out of the coma?” he asked. 

“I’ll know more once the Doctor has done his rounds, but I would estimate 24 hours from the time of the accident, so later on tonight.” She looked carefully at Bodie, taking in his heavy eyes and slightly slumped shoulders. “I’m going to let you stay here for an hour, no more, then I’m going to arrange for you to get some sleep in the family room.”

“But...” Bodie started to protest.

“I’ll come and get you if anything changes, and you need some rest or you’re not going to be any use to him when he needs you. Deal?”

Bodie considered his options for a moment, then relaxed as he realised the sense in her words. “Deal,” he said. 

“Good. Now, I’ll get you a cup of tea.”

She made to move away but Bodie grabbed her hand, holding her back. “Thanks,” he said, a shadow of a smile playing across his lips. 

“No problem,” she said, patting the back of his hand.

********* 

  
Amazingly, Bodie got six hours sleep on the little bed in the family room. He really had thought he wouldn’t sleep at all. Quickly he tidied the bed covers, then splashed some water on his face, before pulling his shoes back on and making his way back to the ICU. He found Jax, Murphy and George Cowley waiting patiently outside.   
He met his friends with handshakes. Hugs didn’t seem so appropriate now he was feeling more in control. “Mr Cowley, fellas.”

“They say he’s still stable,” said Murphy.

“Yeah,” agreed Bodie, “he will be while all the machines are doing the work for him. The test comes later on tonight when they turn them off.”

“They are planning to turn the machines off?” asked Cowley, his brow furrowed. 

“It’s an enforced coma, sir,” explained Bodie, “to give his body a chance to recover from the fit.”

Cowley nodded, taking in the information carefully. “Do you need anything, laddie?”

“I’m fine, thank you, sir. I feel better after a bit of a sleep. I just want to get back inside now.”

Cowley had to admit his agent looked better than he had been expecting. He assumed that the sleep had made the difference, because the man facing him now looked far better than the one described to him earlier by Murphy. “I’m allowing these two the time off to stay here. They can get in immediate contact with Betty if you need anything.” Cowley put his hat and coat back on, then shook Bodie’s hand. “Keep us informed, 3.7.”

“Yes, sir, thank you.” 

As their boss left, Bodie turned to the other two agents. “You don’t have to stay, they won’t let you in anyway.”

“We know that,” said Jax, “but we’re staying anyway. What are mates for, eh?”

Bodie squeezed Jax’s arm in thanks, then pressed the bell to gain access to the Intensive Care Unit itself. “I’ll come back out if there’s any news,” he said, flashing a smile to Murphy as the door clicked closed behind him. 

********

Somewhat disconcertingly, Bodie realised that the bed next to Ray was now empty. He walked over to Ray’s bed and took his seat, running a critical eye over his partner. He thought his colour looked a little better, but he didn’t appear to have moved at all since Bodie had left him. A new nurse was in the process of changing the catheter bag, then Nicky spotted him and came straight over. 

“Feeling better?” she asked, with a warm smile.

“Yeah,” said Bodie, running his hand through his hair. “Thanks for the use of the room.”

“That’s what it’s there for.”

“Er, can I ask something?” Nicky nodded. “Did the lady in the next bed go home?”

Nicky’s bright expression dropped for a moment. “Not everybody in here gets to go home, Bodie. But before you ask, I have a very good feeling about Ray.” 

Bodie’s gaze drifted back to his partner. “When are you going to try turning the machine off?”

“In a few hours. I have every expectation that he will react well.”

“Can I stay while you do it?”

“Yes. I think it’s important he sees you as soon as he wakes up.” Suddenly the machines surrounding the bed by the door started to beep loudly. “I’ll be back,” she said, as she and two other nurses rushed across to attend to their patient.

Bodie didn’t really want to look. He couldn’t begin to think that the machines currently keeping Ray alive might start to make similar noises, and he stared intently at them, as if he could influence them in some way. 

The afternoon progressed slowly. Bodie watched the nurses as they worked, at the same time as watching over his sleeping partner. A couple of times the machines around Ray did set off alarms, making Bodie nearly jump out of his skin. But he soon realised they normally just meant that medication needed replacing. The one time Bodie thought he wasn’t being watched and tentatively reached across to hold Ray’s hand, he knocked the pulse oximeter off his finger and brought the nurses running. He didn’t try it again. 

********

_If you asked me what I was thinking, as the darkness closed around me like fog, I would have said nothing. But if I think about it hard, there was something. Something intangible, just outside of my reach. Just once, like an electric shock, and then it was gone._

********

As the afternoon drew to a close Nicky came to say her goodbyes, handing over her shift to the next crew. “I won’t see you tomorrow,” she said, confidently. “Ray will be moved to another ward by then, trust me. I’ve explained to the new Ward Sister about your situation, you won’t have any trouble.”

Bodie stood up, not sure what to do. “Thank you, for everything,” he said.

“Oh, to hell with it,” she said, pulling him in for a generous and warm hug. “If I can, I’ll come and see you both tomorrow. I’d like to meet Ray properly.” 

“Please,” said Bodie, “you’d like him, and I’d like him to meet you.”

Nicky nodded, relieved that Bodie now seemed to be accepting that his partner would recover. “I’ll be there,” she said. 

********

Bodie pushed his chips around the plate. It had taken a lot for Murphy and Jax to persuade him to join them in the Hospital canteen, the only winning argument being that he needed to keep his strength up. 

“So,” said Murphy, “when you get back, they’re going to try turning the machines off?”

Bodie pushed his plate away from him and leaned back in his chair. “Yeah. I almost don’t want to go back, so they won’t do it.”

“He’ll be fine, mate, Nicky promised you, didn’t she?”

“The woman in the bed next to Ray died this morning, Murph.”

“But Ray’s going to be fine,” said Murphy without hesitation.

“Yeah.”

They stirred their tea, suddenly short of anything to say. 

********

An hour later, Bodie wandered over to Ray’s bed while the nurses prepared everything for the procedure. The new Ward Sister had introduced herself as Clare, she seemed kind and efficient, and calm confidence radiated from her in waves. 

“Now then,” she said, taking Bodie arm and leading him to the foot of the bed. “I want you to stand here and stay here, no matter what else happens. We are going to need the space, okay?”

Bodie nodded. He had noticed a slight change in Doyle straight away, his colour was better and his eyes were moving under his eyelids, as if he were having a dream. 

“Is he awake?” he asked, unsure. 

“We’ve been reducing his medication slowly over the last half an hour. He should start to regain consciousness now.”

Bodie panicked. “What if he has another fit?”

“Then we’ll put him back under.”

********

_I started to feel panic. It wasn’t so quiet any more, I think I could hear voices. What was happening to me?_

********

“Talk to him Mr Bodie, let him know you’re here.”

“Ray,” Bodie’s voice came out quietly hoarse. “It’s me, Bodie. You’re okay, sunshine, don’t fight it.”

The nurse moved to Doyle’s side and put her hand flat on his chest. “Mr Doyle, don’t try to breathe, the machine will do it all for you. Just try to relax.”

********

_I was desperate to breathe. I knew I needed to breathe to live, but air was being forced into my lungs. I....I could hear my name, I could hear Bodie. Everyone needs to breathe. Why didn’t they want me to breathe?_

********

When Doyle’s eyes flickered open for the first time, Bodie held his breath. Panic flooded Doyle’s face. Still unable to move, his eyes darted from side to side, trying to work out what was happening to him. 

Bodie resisted the temptation to move forward and instead, did as he was told, keeping to his place at the foot of the bed. He called out “It’s okay Ray, don’t panic,” in order to reassure his obviously terrified partner. He was rewarded when Doyle’s eyes fixed on his, and Bodie could see him visibly calm. 

Clare and the other nurse busied themselves around their patient, altering the flow of medication further. Then a Doctor arrived and moved into position next to Doyle. 

“Right,” said Clare, turning to Bodie, “step back for a moment please. We’re going to remove the breathing tube.”

“But.....”

“No arguments. You’ll be back at his side in a matter of minutes.” She took hold of Bodie’s arm and moved him to a chair at the side of the room, then closed the curtains around Doyle’s bed. 

Bodie sat down with a thump. 

********

“This won’t be a very nice sensation but we’ll get it over with as quickly as we can. Please try to relax.”

_Relax? While someone is pulling a plastic tube out of your nose and one out of your mouth? When you’re not sure if you’re going to be able to breathe once they’ve finished? When you can’t make a move to stop them because your body isn’t responding to commands? When they’ve made your partner go away while they do it? Oh yeah, relaxing is going to be so easy._

  
********

She was right. Bodie was back at the side of the bed in a matter of minutes. He’d heard Doyle retching so he knew the tubes were out, then with a swish of the curtain he was re-admitted. He pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed, keeping enough space for the nurse to work in. Twice, the nurse rushed over with a little cardboard tray for Doyle to be sick into, and then, at last, he seemed to calm. 

Bodie took his hand, having gone past the stage of being embarrassed. “Okay?” he asked, his voice tense with emotion. 

Doyle looked up at him with watery eyes, unable to even think about talking. 

Clare was writing on a clipboard as she checked the monitors. “He’s doing just fine, breathing on his own and no seizures.” 

“You’ll be okay, mate,” said Bodie, smiling at him, “that was the worst over with.”

Doyle nodded, shakily. He parted his lips, needing to say something. Bodie leaned closer. “B....B.....” 

“I’m here, sunshine,” said Bodie, assuming it was his own name his partner was struggling for.

Doyle shook his head slightly and tried again, a whisper. “B....bike.”

Bodie relaxed. “You daft sod. Only you would go through all of that and wake up worrying about your bike. Murphy and Jax are outside, they know what’s happened to it. Do you want me to go and find out?”

Doyle nodded.

Bodie smiled, let go of his hand and stood up, pushing his chair back slightly. The relief that flooded through him at that moment was intense. He felt exhilarated, like the feeling he got when he was parachuting, floating through the air in free fall. 

Ray was going to be okay. 

  
********

Within hours, Doyle had been moved to a private room adjacent to a nearby ward, the demand for Intensive Care beds being, sadly, high. The main advantage here was that as long as they didn’t tire him, his friends who had waited so patiently for so long were finally allowed in to see him.

“Your bike’s fine,” said Jax, smiling warmly down at him. “I’ve been to see it in the Police compound, there’s a bit of superficial damage but nothing you can’t put right.”

“Never mind that,” said Doyle, his voice scratchy and hoarse. “Have you seen what they’ve done to me?” At which he flicked the sheet back to show everyone his catheter. 

“Bloody hell, Doyle,” said Murphy, laughing, “do you really think we need to see that?” 

“Could be worse,” said Bodie, “he could be handing you a full bottle.”

A new nurse bustled into the room. “You’re going to have to let my patient get his sleep now, gents,” she said, covering Doyle back up with the sheet and straightening it. “Say your goodbyes for now, please.”

Murphy ruffled Doyle’s hair and Jax smiled at him, then they left the room with the nurse, giving Bodie a moment alone with him. 

“Okay?” croaked Doyle.

“Yeah.” Bodie stood by the bed looking down at him. The adrenaline that had been keeping him going for the past 24 hours had now faded, and Bodie looked shattered.

“Come back tomorrow?”

“Just try to keep me away, rules or no rules.”

“What?”

Bodie hesitated. It needed saying, but he didn’t know if this was the right time. “There was a time yesterday when they wouldn’t let me in to see you, cos I’m not your Next of Kin.”

“Can’t marry you, sunshine,” said Doyle, his lips twisting into a grin. 

“No, but we can do something about the Next of Kin thing, make it legal somehow, can’t we?”

“Is that a proposal?”

“As near as you’re gonna get, these days.” Suddenly Bodie didn’t look quite so tired. 

“You’ll do,” said Doyle, reaching his arms out, as Bodie leaned down to kiss him. 

  
_In the UK, an individual can nominate any other individual as their next of kin, but many people don’t make the provision until it is too late._

_By the 1980s more and more people were getting used to the term ‘Common Law Marriage’, and although some still objected, far more importance began to be placed on the relationship, and not a piece of paper. It was still, however, an issue in certain situations, such as the definition of ‘Next of Kin’ in an emergency._

_Same sex marriages did not become legal in the UK until December 2005._

_Luckily, it’s different now, and most people now accept that a permanent, loving relationship is a wonderful thing, regardless of gender or marital status._


End file.
